Photographs: Events, Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Twisting Trunks

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Twisting Trunks
A group of autumn aspen trees with twisting trunks

Twisting Trunks. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A group of autumn aspen trees with twisting trunks

Dense, twisting little aspen trees are common in the Eastern Sierra Nevada. In our imagination, aspen groves are full of tall, strong trees that stretch on for great distances. Such things exist in the Sierra, generally on a small scale, but they are not the norm. More typical are these stunted, twisting trees — which in many ways are more interesting than those perfect tall trees.

I wandered straight into one of these dense aspen groves as it fell into shadows late in the day. Compositions inside groves are often both plentiful and very difficult. There are interesting shapes and colors everywhere, but there are also complex distractions — oddly colored trees, branches extending into the scene, and more. These trees were more cooperative, twisting around one another in marvelous ways.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Aspen Slopes

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Aspen Slopes
Autumn aspen trees rise from a valley toward the Sierra Nevada crest.

Aspen Slopes. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Autumn aspen trees rise from a valley toward the Sierra Nevada crest.

This little valley running along the base of the eastern slopes of the Sierra was on my agenda for this trip. But due to trying to squeeze in visits to numerous locations I couldn’t get to all of them in the perfect, soft, early and late day light. I arrived at this spot in the late afternoon, when the sun was backlighting these trees.

The answer groves here are among the most extensive I know of. They are not fully continuous, but there are quite a few of them and they are draped across the slopes, rising high up to where they meet the conifer forest. While the daytime sunlight isn’t my favorite for aspen photography, here the backlight intensifies the colors of the leaves.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Storm Clouds, Trees in Silhouette

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Storm Clouds, Trees in Silhouette
East slope Sierra Nevada trees silhouetted against clouds and rain of a passing autumn storm.

Storm Clouds, Trees in Silhouette. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

East slope Sierra Nevada trees silhouetted against clouds and rain of a passing autumn storm.

This is the wonderful sort of weather that wasn’t in the forecast and which catches you by surprise. It had been a sunny day with just a few clouds floating around when this cell appeared to the east of the Sierra crest. I hadn’t really been paying attention to it until I stopped here and looked toward basin and range country to see streamers of virga (rain that doesn’t reach the ground) falling from the building clouds.

It was late in the day when I made this photograph. The sun was at my back as I looked east, and long shadows from Sierra crest peaks were already falling across my position and these nearby trees. I was in this spot mostly to photograph aspen trees, but this panorama of desert mountain terrain beyond the east slope of the Sierra was arresting.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature

Aspens, Living and Dead

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Aspens, Living and Dead
A dense grove of aspens including living and dead trees, east of the Sierra Nevada.

Aspens, Living and Dead. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A dense grove of aspens including living and dead trees, east of the Sierra Nevada.

If you are familiar with Sierra Nevada aspens, some things about this grove will feel familiar, yet you might get the feeling that something is a bit different. Regarding the latter, you are correct — this grove is technically not in the Sierra Nevada. It is in a range of mountains not too far to the east of the range, where the drier climate contributes to both the “sagebrush country” appearance and the twisted and often stunted trees.

We visited this general area early one October morning, planning to photograph from a point providing an unobstructed view of a fascinating section of the Sierra crest. After photographing that scene around sunrise, we turned our attention to this nearby subject, working quickly to make pictures before the intense direct sunlight arrived. Note the mixture of very colorful small trees and older snags.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.